Ads Plug Insurance for Furry Dependents

Holiday gift-giving presents opportunities for retailers of everything imaginable--even health insurance for your pooch.

Veterinary Pet Insurance Co., the Anaheim insurer of dogs and cats, has launched its first marketing campaign to raise awareness of its product during the holidays. A recent survey by the American Animal Hospital Assn. indicated that 79% of pet owners give holiday or birthday presents to their charges.

But pet insurance is a young industry and many people aren’t aware of it, says Rebecca Lewis, vice president of marketing at Veterinary Pet Insurance. The company hired a public relations agency, which built a national media campaign around the possibility that your pet might be injured during the holidays.

“The incidents of certain types of accidents go up now,” Lewis says. “Pets eat more chocolate, antifreeze, tinsel, plants such as poinsettias. There’s more electrocution.”

The company has prepared radio spots, video footage and started a Web site: https://www.petgift.com.

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Barbara Marsh covers health care for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-7762 and at barbara.marsh@latimes.com